COMPAS X-Stream TV customers will soon enjoy an improved experience and new features as we move to an all-digital network. The new all-digital network will give customers the capacity for a better television picture, faster internet and an improved voice experience.

Going all-digital will significantly improve our customers’ experience and lay the groundwork for future innovation. Once the transition is completed, the entire television channel lineup will be encrypted. Encryption protects programming so that it cannot be viewed without authorization. This will allow us to automate certain functions and reduce the need for customers to schedule in-home appointments, providing you with a better customer experience.

The all-digital upgrade for our customers is expected to begin on January 7th, and will continue throughout all of 2019. It will affect different customers at different times. COMPAS X-Stream will notify customers of their specific upgrade date, and when they will need to acquire a digital receiver for each of their televisions via letter. If customers using analog service do not acquire a digital cable box in the timeframe designated in their letter, they will lose television service once the digital transition is completed in their area.

Customers can contact the COMPAS office at 438-5353 to schedule a time to pick up their new digital cable box. Customers can install the new equipment themselves, or they can schedule a time for a COMPAS technician to install it for them.

We will have a Cable Commission meeting on December 11th at Morganton City Hall to discuss this transition. More information will be available after the meeting.

Starting January 7th, 2019

COMPAS X-Stream Digital Transition FAQ

Why go all-digital? COMPAS’ all-digital upgrade is about giving customers a best-in-class television and voice experience, and freeing up network capacity. This means giving customers the capacity for faster broadband speeds, higher definition television, a better voice experience and new features across the network. Currently COMPAS X-Stream sends analog and digital signals. This means people receive their cable service in two different ways. Some people receive their cable through a digital cable box, which is classified as digital service. Others receive cable service by plugging their cable directly into the television from a cable port in the wall, which is analog service. Once the digital transition is made, all homes will receive their signal through a digital cable box. The upgrade to digital service will affect different customers at different times. Customers will be notified of when they must upgrade to digital service. If you do not have a digital cable box in your home, your television service will end once the transition is made in your area.

How will this affect my channel lineup? Once the digital transition happens in your area, networks currently assigned to channels 70-77 will no longer be available on the analog service. The affected channels are Fox News, BET, E!, TLC, Comedy Central, Disney XD, Disney Jr., and FXX. These channels will still be available to digital customers, and customers who use our watchTVeverywhere feature. Our watchTVeverywhere service allows you to stream many of your favorite channels to different streaming devices such as a Roku, Amazon Firestick or Apple TV. For more information on watchTVeverywhere, you may go to our website at www.compasxstream.com and click on watchTVeverywhere at the top of the webpage. If you already have digital service, your channel lineup will not be affected on televisions in your home using a digital box. Access to these channels will be restored to analog customers once you make the switch to digital service. This change will not affect all COMPAS customers at once. The upgrade to digital service will happen throughout 2019, in different areas. You will be notified when your area is being upgraded to digital service.

What do I need to do? COMPAS will send a letter directly to customers notifying them of their specific upgrade date. This letter will tell you exactly when you need to acquire a digital adapter or receiver for each of your television sets. If you do not upgrade to a digital box, your television service will end once the switch to digital service is made in your area.

If you already have a COMPAS Digital Cable Box on all of your televisions, then you do not need to do anything. If any television in your home is still using analog service and does not have a digital service box, then you need to contact COMPAS to get a digital box for this television. Otherwise, your television service for any televisions in your home using an analog connection will end once the digital transition in your area is made.

You may pick up the additional cable boxes at the COMPAS office. Customers can call 438-5353 for more information and to schedule a time to pick up a new box. Office hours are 8am-5pm Monday-Friday, except holidays.

How much will this change cost me?

All customers will be eligible for one free digital box, which will not have any additional fees for use. For additional digital cable boxes, the cost will start at $7 per month.

How will this impact Internet speeds?

The benefits of this upgrade will play out over time, as we re-deploy the newly freed-up network capacity for faster internet speeds, more channels and more features. We’re committed to bringing faster internet speeds to the community we serve, with no contracts or data caps.